It was billed as a “social experiment”. In each season of Married at First Sight, a lineup of hopeful singles walk down the aisle to be greeted by a complete stranger, someone who has supposedly been selected as their perfect match. A mock wedding ensues – and the “newlyweds”, two people who have never previously laid eyes on each other, then proceed to move in together to see if they can make their relationship work. And throughout every tentative kiss, stony silence and explosive row, the cameras are rolling.
As far as dating shows go, it is a high-stakes, high-emotion format – and one that pulls in a lot of viewers. In September 2024, the UK version of MAFS (as it is known by its aficionados) was the most-watched show on a British commercial broadcaster’s streaming platform, clocking up a staggering 1,200 years worth of viewing time over that month.
